Thursday, April 21, 2005

Agathidium bushi, A. cheneyi, and A. rumsfeldi could soon be the names of recently discovered slime-mould beetles. The scientists behind the naming insist they are fans of George W. Bush and think it is a way to honor them. Others see it as an easy shot for jokesters as the beetles spend their days in and around "festering goo".

Past luminaries who have had new species named after them include: Darth Vader, Hernando Cortes, and Pocahontas. Come on, how about naming them: John, Ringo, Paul, and George?